[Surnetkids] In Pursuit of Tolerance

Dear Reader,

Today in sunny San Diego, we got our first taste of fall. The sky is grey, and I dug out a hoodie from my closet to wear inside my house! Of course, pumpkins are already everywhere, but they don’t always bring fall weather. Meanwhile, I hope all my Carolina readers are safe, dry, and united with family.

Edmund Burke, an eighteenth-century writer and philosopher said “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” If spreading tolerance and stopping hatred is important to you, the following sites offer both historical perspective and concrete action items.

ADL: Educational Programs & Training The Anti-Defamation League (ADL ) is a civil rights/human relations organization “reminding the world just how tenuous civil rights are” and mobilizing “people to engage in reasonable discourse as together we find solutions to serve our diverse society.” This page is an archive of ADL programs available for students, teachers, and families, including Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events, and K-12 lesson plans.

Partners Against Hate “An alarming and disproportionately high percentage of both the victims of hate violence and the perpetrators are young people under 18 years of age.” This website offers guidance (in the form of printable manuals) for anyone wanting to combat this terrible trend. There are separate sections for students (start an anti-bias program at your school), parents, teachers and law enforcement. To search for answers to commonly asked questions, click on Hate Response Network.

PBS: Not in Our Town “In 1993, hate activities in Billings [Montana] reached a crescendo. KKK fliers were distributed, the Jewish cemetery was desecrated, the home of a Native American family was painted with swastikas, and a brick was thrown through the window of a six-year-old boy who displayed a Menorah for Hanukkah.” Not in Our Town is a PBS film and website that tells the story of how thousands of citizens stood up against the bullies, and declared their town hate-free. Click on Get Involved to learn how you can bring the Not in Our Town campaign to your town or school.